Friday, July 15, 2011

Then and Now: Portage la Prairie 1980-2010 Part 2

For this second post on Then and Now: Portage, Winnipeg's Paul Sincerny has graciously supplied the Now photos, and I've found Then photos taken on various railfanning trips to Portage, taken from approximately the same location.

Then: A CP freight waits at the signal east of West Tower's diamonds as a westbound 2-unit CN freight of empty lumber cars passes the CN to CP connecting track for VIA trains in 1986.

Now: SD70M-2 8889 leads CN double-stack train 101 on Hallowe'en 2010.

More of Paul's fine photography can be found on railpictures.net. Trackside Treasure flip-fun: click on each Then and Now photo, opening each in a new tab, then toggle between them. Views from the Skyview bridge, with grain elevators and associated trackage still in place, later gone.

Then: 9535-9452 eastbound on August 24, 1978 with air dump cars behind the power (above). CPWX grain cars at Portage Pool 'A' and CP Service cars beyond.

Now: From the same location, another eastbound on May 15, 2011 as CN train 302 passes some new ties trackside, behind engine 8812. Track work is also in progress on the CP line in background, and in an interesting nod to the past, CP is still using 40-foot boxcars as Service cars.

CN served two of Portage's former grain elevators, as well as other grain elevators east of Portage on the Rivers Sub. Just east of CN's station, at the Third St NW crossing,

Then: 9569-9575-9612-9502 haul piggyback at 50 mph past the station at 1154 June 17, 1980...

Now: CN ES44DC 2224 leads three other units on train 314 on June 14, 2009.

CP westbounds, taken from the north side of CP's trackage which becomes the Minnedosa Sub and Carberry Sub just west of this location.

Then: CP 8626-8806 with 31 ballast cars for the Minnedosa Sub, beside 6053-5809-3017 with mixed freight on a rainy afternoon in June, 1984.

Now: CP 9653 accelerates with two other units on an intermodal train on Canada Day 2010. CN's station is visible in the background. Paul's photo is taken slightly east of mine.

CP Eastbounds cross CN's Gladstone and Rivers Subs at West Tower

Then: 2 SD's approach the diamond with an eastbound on CP's Carberry Sub in 1981.

Now: Former CP Holiday Train unit 9824 brings CP train 112 across the diamonds at West Tower on October 9, 2010.

VIA Rail still serves Portage. The rolling stock has changed...somewhat.

Now: In September 2010, VIA train 2 is led by 6418. The blue & yellow cars are gone, but the former CP Canadian cars labour on, and are on their second refurbishing since my photo was taken.

Running extra...

Even though this post is titled 1980-2010, it actually covers 1978-2010. Close enough. I'm considering a second volume from Trackside Treasure Publications, featuring photography and train information from Portage la Prairie. This would be handy for any modellers interested in replicating the rail mecca that is P la P.

Summertime reading: back copies of Railroad Model Craftsman and Model Railroader. While a trip down memory lane shows how far model railroad products have come, it is also frustrating to see all the foobies, fakes and fallacies that were perpetuated based on the products that were available. Sounds like a future blog post, eh?

Summertime viewing: CBS's reality show Big Brother is back for another 'season'. Other sluggish, mindless entertainment on these clammy summer evenings includes Rookie Blue and Combat Hospital. Another season of American Pickers on the History Channel can't be far off.

Thanks Steve. I'm glad I was able to feature Paul's photos as well as yours in these two posts featuring Portage Then & Now. It's a great way to be able to feature some super photography and to 'visit' places I haven't been in a while.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing hellcats hauling lumber empties and trailers! The same timeless quality is hardly apparent in the CP 'snake-eye' AC44s of today.Of course, this was a wonderful post. Feel free to show us more 1978 pictures and lumber trains if you want to.

Some great then and now shots at Portage! I have some early 90s material that I could contribute to any book efforts that cover the decade of transition from the scaling back of VIA service and gradual loss of grain elevators through the introduction of new motive power.

You're right, Adam. On a round-trip from Kingston to Toronto yesterday, 6406 and 6410 did the honours and both were Ren-schemed. To use an overused phrase, "Get your photos now". I just can't understand why the highly-visible yellow went to the rocks-and-trees-of-Canada stealth green - much lower visibility on the head-end.

Watch for more VIA posts, including the Canadian at Portage in 1984 (all yellow noses) and thanks for your comment,Eric

ETU (Excellent Train URL's)

Rather Sketchy Profile

Eric Gagnon was born in Montreal, Quebec and has lived in Kingston, Ontario most of his life. Much time was spent trackside when not in school, college or practising as a medical laboratory technologist. Married with two children, Eric is also an HO-scale modeller, musician, avid reader and blogger, having launched his Canadian railfan blog Trackside Treasure in 2008. Eric's first book Trackside with VIA:The First 35 Years, published in 2011, was followed by two more in 2012: Trackside with VIA:Cross-Canada Compendium and Consist Companion. In 2017, Eric published his fourth book, Trackside with VIA - Research & Recollections. Eric's books can be found in museum gift shops, hobby shops and in the hands of VIA Rail enthusiasts across Canada, the United States and worldwide.

VIA 1970's-1980's Recordings on youtube by E-series-8-4-4

A Word about Attribution

Text is written by me unless shown quoted or otherwise attributed. Photos are taken by me unless attributed, linked to, or used with permission by the photographer. Trackside Treasure is ethically-sourced.

Waiting for VIA No 2

Winnipeg, 1984

Production! Production!

Applying a Tank Track, CPR Angus Shops

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My Second VIA Rail book

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Doug Wright's immortal FPA4 going like stink!

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Boarding No 2 in June, 1982

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